Duplex sound producer



,April11,1944.1 B, HENgY 2,346,580

DUPLEX SOUND PRODUCER Filed oct. 11.1941

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Patented Apr. 11, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT: OFFICE V2,346,580 DUPLEX SOUND PRODUCERY Beulah Louise Henry. New York, N. Y.

f Application October 11, 1941, Serial No. 414,576

sclaims. ,(01.46--1871' This invention relates to pneumatic vocalizers, particularly to types productive of sound emanations upon reversal of position, and more specifically to such as are used in connection with playthings, toys and novelties. l

It is known that many devices exist for creating sounds simulative of infants, animals, etc., etc., to be incorporated in toys, and that the majority are objectionable because of their complicated nature, cost of construction, frequent failure to function, and are subject to corrosion of their metal parts, rendering them unsatisfactory vto the ultimate consumer.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a compact sound creating device, substantiallyl free from metallic elements, inexpensive to manufacture and capable of long continued performance.

A further feature is in the provision of means whereby the issuing sound is articulated in distinct syllables, clearly enunciated, and spaced apart by a pause, closely simulative of natural speech.

Another purpose is to produce a multiple sound producer, operative at each reversal of its casing and containing non-metallic valves operating ,through xed elastic diaphragms in a novel and highly practical manner, whereby issuing sound may be divided into syllables of different lengths.

These and other advantageous aims Vare at-` tained by the construction and combination of simple parts, hereinafter described and shown in the annexed drawing constituting a graphical component of this disclosure, and in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View taken substantially on the center line of an embodiment of the invention, showing the parts as at the beginning of the first sound.

Figure 2 is a similar sectional View line 2 2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional `taken on view taken on line 3--3 of Figure 1Q view taken -on a flanged pulpboard cap I6 having a plurality of perforations Il. I

A pair of inreaching, rigid stems I8 and 2S are firmly secured to the underside of the cap I6, equally spaced from the center, and fixed on these stems, at predetermined points, are valve plugs, respectively I9 and 2|, each having a cylindrical `bodyand conically bevelled ends;` these plugs are preferably made of non-metallic material, as

wood, or one of the numerous moldable plastics.

At the opposite end of the casing is a similar flanged cap 22, which may have a circular opening, or perforations 23, as preferred. Adjacent the inner side of the cap 22 is a sheet of porous textile fabric 24 overlying a perforated stiff pulpboard disc 25 held against the edge of the casing by the cap 22.`

A highly flexible cylindrical bellows 26, preferably made of thin rubber, has a thickened rim 2'! at one end, disposed over and around the'disc 25 and its porous cover 24, and held firmly thereagainst by the cap 22 when secured in position on the casing.

The opposite, inner end of the bellows has a similar thickened rim 28 disposed over and around a raised annular ridge 29 on a gravitational bellows weight 30, of ceramic material, cylindrical in cross section, of a diameter to move freely in the casing and guided by longitudinal ribs 3|.

A pair of circular iiues 32 and V34 are disposed longitudinally in the weight 30, in alinement with the valve plugs I9 and 2l, which are of lesser diameter than that of the ues. The outer ends of these flues are slightly recessed and secured therein are highly flexible, rubber diaphragms 33 and 35 having central openings of lesser diameter than that of the valve plugs, and reinforced by Washers.

The flue 32 has, at its inner end, a channel 36 in open communication with a resonating chamber 39, in which is xed an angular bracket 4I carrying a vibratable reed 42 extending into the flue 32.

The iiue 34 is open toa channel 38 leading to a resonating chamber 3l, in which is set an angular bracket 43 carrying a vibratable reed 44 eX- tending into ther ue I311. ABoth reeds are at right vangles to the axis ofthe casing and eachis provided with a tongue reaching intothe respective iiues. l

When the device is assembledl in' the manner indicated, and disposed in theposition shown in Figure 1, the weight3ll, descending by gravity, tends to compressk the air in the bellows 26, causing it to travel through the channels 36 and 3 8 into the chambers 39 and 3l, entering the reeds 42 and 44 to pass into the atmosphere by way of the perforated cap I6.

It is well known that in order to produce audible sounds from ordinary reeds an air current must impinge on the tongue or thin extending vibratory member of the reed, while air entering the cylindrical base or body portion of the reed is ineective in producing sound, therefore it is to be noted that the reeds are so disposedthat one will be mute while the other responds as shown in Fig. 4, the reed 44 will be caused to vibrate and for a moment produce sound; the air passing through it is delivered outwardly through the hole in the diaphragm 35, then free from `the Valve plug, and out through the the cap I6.

As the weight descends, carrying thegdi-aphragm f with it, the hole is closed by the iixed plug 2| and the sound is temporarily interrupted, beginning' again when the plug emerges through the diaphragm, repeating the soun-d and continuing unti1 the weight has reached its lowermost position. Y l

Thereupon, byreversingthe casing, the opposite kelements become operative, in a manner op,- posed-to the foregoing, resulting in a second sound series, repeated in syllablesin a reverse manner.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a simple, inexpensive device for this purpose has been described in the preferred `form of its embodiment, but the invention isnot restricted in details to theexact constructionshovvn, it vbeing obvious that changes may :be made-within the scope of theappended claims.

Having thusdescribed the invention, including the manner of its construction and operation, what is claimed as new and sought to be secured .by-Letters Patent of thevUnitedSta'tes, is:

1. .A duplex sound producer` comprising anonf metallic cylindrical casing having a perforate cap .at each end, aceramic weight having a plurality of longitudinal guide ribs and an annular ridge on its periphery, a rigid perforate disc and a porous textile fabric disc juxtaposedagainst an end of said casing, va rubber lbellows hav-ing a thickened rimstretched over the circumferential edges ofsaid ldiscs under one of said caps, the opposed rimo'f'sai-d bellows-being xed yaro-und and over saidannular ridge, a pair ofv spaced chambers in i said weightopen to said bellows, a reed vfixed in reversed relation in eachycharnber, a flueleadingi'from each chamberthroughsaid weight, a liiexible diaphragminthe outer end of eacnflue,

said 'diaphragms having central openings, and

ing an annular ridge over which the other end v of said .bellows .is disposed, guide ribs on said weight to -contact the interior ofsaidcasing, said weighthavin-ga pair of.-.spaced longitudinal lues, 'diaphragms having central openings xed at-the outer ends of said flues, a pair of chambers in said weight communicating with the inner ends of. the `dues,rr.ee -ls in each of saidl chamberavsaid chambers open to the interiorof said bellows, -anddouble coned valves ,fixedvto theother of said caps in register with said iiues and adapted to pass through the openings in said diaphragms to control the emission of sound.

3. In a sound producer, the combination with a cylindrical casing having perforate caps, a weight having ribs to guide it in said casing, a resonating chamber in one side portion of said weight open at one end and closed at the other, a bellows attached at its respective extremities around said weight open to said chamber and to one of said caps, a reed held horizontally in said chamber open to said bellows; a flue leading from ,said chamber through the Weight, a flexible diaphragm xed in the outer end of said flue, said pcrforationsinv l A `diaphragm having an opening, and a valve plug iixedly carried by the other of said caps for pass'agethrough said diaphragm to control the emisr -sion-,ofsound from said reed.

4. In a sound producer, the combination with a cylindrical casing having perforate caps, a cylindrical weight ,having a chamber eccentric to its axis and open at one end, a bellows attached at its respective extremities to said weight and one of said caps, at the open end of said chamber, a reed held horizontally in said chamber open to said bellows; a iiue leading from said chamber through the weight, a flexible diaphragm ixed in the outer end of said flue, said diaphragm having an opening, and a valve plug Aflxedly carried by the ,other of said caps, said plugs being of lesser diameter than that of said ue and having conical ends adapted to facilitate passage through the diaphragm, thereby to regulate the dispersion of sound from said reed.

Y5. In a sound producer, the combination with a cylindrical casing having a cap at each end both being perforateda Weight having a chamber in one end, a flue leading from the chamber through the weight, and a horizontal reed set in the chamber; an annular ridge on said weighta rigid perforate disc abutting an end of said casing below its cap, a exible bellows having one end secured over said ridge and its other end iixed over said disc intermediate the cap and disc, and valve means to control the passage of air in ,said ue, sai d valve, means including a flexible .dischaving a central aperture and carried by said weight, and a Yplug xed to one of said heads operative through said disc.

'6. In a sound producer, the combination with ,a lcylindrical casing having perforate end caps,

a weight having a chamber in one end, a flue leading `from the ychamber through the weight, and a horizontal reed set in the. chamber; an annular ridge on said weight,` a rigid perforate disc Vabutting an end of said casing'below its cap, a

'porous fabric disposed over said disc, a `flex- 'ible normally cylindrical bellows having thickened rims, one rim fixed over ,said annular ridge `and the other engaged over the 'circumferential edge of said disc and fabric and'clamped by the corresponding cap, a flexible valve `seat in the outer end of said ue, and avalve plug carried :by the opposite end cap co-operative withsaid valve seat thereby to control emission of -sound from said reed.

having a central opening iixed in the end of said ues, a bellows extending from k-said weight to the adjacent cap open to said chambers, a stem fixed to extend inwardly from the opposite cap, and a valve p1ug carried by each stem adapted to co-operate with said diaphragm to control the emission of sound.

8. A sound producing device comprising a casing having a perforated single cap at one end and a perforated double cap at the opposite end, a Weight having peripheral guide means to move longitudinally in said casing, chambers in the inner side of said Weight, fiues leading from said chambers through the weight, a reed fixed in each chamber with its tongue extending into its associated flue, a bellows xed on said weight at one end and held to said casing by said double cap, flexible valve seats at the outer ends of said fiues, and elongated plugs movable through said seats carried by said single cap.

9. A sound producing device comprising a caslng having a perforated single cap at one end and a perforated double cap at the opposite end, a weight movable lengthwise in said casing, a pair of resonating chambers in said weight open at its inner end, a pair of ues offset from said chambers and connected therewith at their lower ends, a reed xed in each chamber its tongue extending into the ue connected therewith, a bellows having its ends connected respectively to said weight and said double cap, a flexible diaphragm set in the outer ends of each flue, said diaphragms having a central aperture, re-enforcing means for said diaphragms, and valve plugs rigidly affixed to the inner surface of said single cap in register with the apertures in said diaphragms and adapted to pass therethrough upon movement of said weight to control sound emanating from said reeds.

BEULAH LOUISE HENRY. 

